Go Ahead Given For More Housing

Hethersett Herald 1 November 2021

HETHERSETT HERALD

November 2021—Number 73

Go Ahead Given For More Housing South Norfolk Approves Another 200 Homes For Hethersett

P LANNING permission for an additional 200 houses in Hethersett over and above the 1196 already approved has

been granted by South Norfolk Council.

The district council’s five person Development Management (Planning) Committee approved the application at its meeting on October 20th despite complaints and opposition from local residents and the village’s South Norfolk Councillors.

The latest application came as a result of developers using less land for already approved development.

South Norfolk Council officers had recommended approval for the 200 additional houses. The committee decided to grant permission by three

votes to two with Graham Minshull (Conservative Diss), Lisa Neal (Conservative Poringland, Framinghams and Trowse) and Vic Thomson (Conservative Rockland) voting for the development and David Bills (Conservative Hethersett) and Julian Halls (Liberal Democrat South Wymondham) voting against.

Hethersett Distirict Councillor Phil Hardy spoke against the application on the grounds of over-development and lack of facilities with particular emphasis on the need for more and improved medical facilities. Afterwards he said: “I offered a planning condition after opposing it to get a new surgery before development starts and was ignored. I’m not happy at all and I’m planning my next steps.”

Turn to page four to read more.

ROWAN House Health and Well Being Centre in Queen’s Road, Hethersett, has been sold to Wymondham Veterinary Clinic.

The owners have described their decision to sell as being made with “much sadness.”

You can read the full story by turning to page 11.


MAIN CONTENT

Work starts on Youth Club roof

repairs—Page 29.

Motorists caught for speeding in the

village—Page 10.

Tributes to Ian Harrison—Page 19.

Jenny’s charity boost—Page 24.

Bus shelter suffers serious damage,

but it isn’t the first time this has

happened—Page 26.

Hethersett Football Shirts sent to Africa and Saturday Men’s side is saved from extinction—Pages

16 and 30.

The December edition of Hethersett Herald will be available exclusively online at the end of November.

Regular Features

Sarah’s World—49

John Head—59

Archives—62

Contact Numbers-70

Petrol Watch—74

Group Reports—75


A Message From The Editor

Hello Everyone

IN my daily blog which I write (somewhat surprisingly) daily I had course during the month to have a whinge about the deterioration of bus services to our village.

Not so long ago in pre-COVID days (remember them) we had four buses every hour going through the village.

After COVID restrictions were relaxed this was cut to two an hour and now we are being told that buses could be cut out without warning due to a shortage of drivers.

Recently I waited at a stop in New Road for over 40 minutes for a bus.

Added to this I have seen at least four buses in the past couple of weeks that have broken down. Presumably this means that there is a lack of mechanics as well as drivers.

Does it mean that buses are being sent out in a less than safe condition? I sincerely hope not.

This is yet another example of services deteriorating at the same time as the Government is forging ahead with huge building projects.

It is totally beyond me how services and facilities dwindle as populations increase.

You will find a piece in this edition of Hethersett Herald about a discussion on whether the village should have street lighting. This was

back in 1935 and the population of Hethersett at that time was 1,500.

When the proposed new building is completed our population over the next few years will rise to more than 10,000.

That represents a 600% increase in less than 100 years. A fascinating fact I came across recently stated that, in the Middle Ages, the population of Norwich, which was then the second most important city in England after London, was around 10,000. Makes you think.

We welcome new residents to our wonderful village but we MUST have the support and the facilities to go with the increase. Somehow sadly I think that this won’t happen. Our roads will become more clogged up, our medical facilities will be at bursting point, there won’t be enough recreational facilities and everything will be in danger of grinding to a halt.

And I wrote the comments above before the news came through that another 200 houses in addition to the 1196 have been approved. Would you believe that these are on land left over and surplus from previous development?

Peter


Go-Ahead Given For Another 200 Homes

T he go-ahead has been given for an additional 200 houses in Hethersett despite village objections.

The new allocation is in addition to the 1196 already agreed and comes after developers used less space than anticipated on development already partially or totally completed.

South Norfolk’s Development Management (Planning) Committee agreed to the new builds at its meeting on October 20th with three councillors voting for and two against.

One of Hethersett’s representatives on South Norfolk Council, Phil Hardy, opposed the proposals on the grounds of over development and spoke against it at the meeting.

Councillor Hardy also spoke against the development at the October meeting of Hethersett Parish Council despite an offer of £150,000 from developers for improved medical facilities for the Humbleyard Practice.

“A few years ago South Norfolk Council offered to build a surgery and lease it back but this offer was turned down. I cannot support any further development in Hethersett, Bawburgh or Litte Melton,” Councillor Hardy said adding that residents living in Longview had been promised a 15 metre buffer

zone between them and new development, but this had now been cut to five metres.

Councillor Hardy urged the developers to re-instate the larger buffer zone as a show of goodwill.

The 1196 new homes are being built jointly by Persimmon Homes and Taylor Wimpey.

Planning Permission granted despite local objections about over-development and lack of

facilities

Phil Hardy—Spoke against the additional

200 houses.

Photograph of the current state of the field at the back of Longview


Hethersett’s Norfolk County Council and South Norfolk Council representative David Bills, who is a member of the Development Management Committee, also opposed the application saying “what is being done here is wrong. It will put yet more pressure on Hethersett and I would say the same if we were talking about other areas such as Wymondham or Cringleford. I cannot see why we are looking at agreeing to an extra 200 houses.”

Julian Halls (Liberal Democrat South Wymondham) also voted against the proposal citing concerns that the additional houses would bring narrow roads and street parking which he described as “an inevitable consequence.”

After a lengthy discussion the additional houses were approved by three votes to two. You can read the entire transcript of what Councillor Hardy had to say in opposing this application below.

“ THE development before you today for 200 homes has been made possible due to the developers building the 1196

homes as part of the 2013 outline application into a more dense, confined area.

With more density in development comes less space, less buffers between existing homes and the new proposed development and less open and green space. In addition, the existing infrastructure that has absorbed so much development over the last 30 or so years can often

become so overwhelmed, it no longer functions in an acceptable way.

Taking these issues one at a time. I met with residents in

Longview, currently the most northern point of the village. When my residents were initially shown the plans as part of a consultation in 2010, a

community orchard was proposed segregating the new

development from Longview by a 10-15 metre buffer and the trees would effectively screen the new development visually and acoustically and this was welcome.

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Councillor Phil Hardy who represents Hethersett, Little Melton and Bawburgh on South Norfolk Council spoke eloquently against the 200

new homes without assurances with regard to village infrastructure. Here is what he said.

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Surgery at Breaking Point

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Buffer area cut from 15 metres to

five


Yet as the plans have evolved and the development has become more and more dense freeing up the land for the 200 homes before you today, this buffer became more and more diluted and has gradually eroded.

What was now approved under reserved matters is a five metre buffer with border fences and landscaping, with garages to the north right up against the fence. This is unacceptable for residents on the north side of Longview who were promised something more palatable but now have something right up against them.

Whilst it was consulted on, they don’t know what an outline application is or reserved matters and there are so many plans within an application this size, they didn’t know where to start.

Design often gets diluted over time and I will be writing to the developer after this meeting requesting help, perhaps a minor amendment application is considered to increase this buffer, improve the landscaping and make the segregation more acceptable.

Moving on to the most critical issue of all, the health and wellbeing of the people of Hethersett, Little Melton and Bawburgh. Hethersett Surgery is literally on its knees. Doctor Siobhan Rowe a few months ago made a Facebook plea for residents not to contact them unless absolutely essential.

They were struggling before Covid with five week waiting lists and now they are in a very serious crisis situation and we all need to do what we can to help them.

South Norfolk Council offered to build them a new surgery a few years ago and lease it back to them but they didn’t take us up on it. Instead, there is no more space in the surgery to expand or place new GPs and provision and service levels have plummeted.

Each GP sees 1,500 patients each, way way above best practice

guidelines. There is no more room so new patients will increase these numbers for each GP further.

GPs told us at recent meetings that they are

very concerned about 200 more homes coming forward

and how this will result in even less provision for existing residents. Affordable housing is an excellent social benefit but in terms of reliance on GP services, this element puts much more pressure on them than any other.

The situation has been so serious that I chaired meetings with Humbleyard Surgery and follow up meetings took place with the developers and the surgery. I wrote to Sajid Javid, Secretary Of State for Health, and NHS England as well as the Care Quality Commission.

I have chased and pushed and NHS England have met with the developer now to look for a site. I would like to thank the developer and NHS England for taking this first step but there is a very long way to go and no guarantee this will go ahead. We took the horse to water previously when our Council offered to build them a new surgery and lease it back to them but we couldn’t make it drink.

Hethersett Surgery is on its knees—Councillor Phil Hardy


As such, I cannot support any further development in Hethersett, Little Melton or Bawburgh, residents of which all use Hethersett Surgery, until a site is secured and NHS England confirm it is going ahead with assurances.

However, if the committee is minded to approve the application there is a possible compromise. The developers have listened to us and I appreciate that as well as the £150,000 offer of planning obligations. If a Grampian condition on the decision notice or something in a Section 106 legal agreement was imposed that no more than 20 homes can be built on the site until the doctors’ surgery is built, occupied and operational this may be pragmatic.

There are precedents such as this and it has been done many times before and would give the people of Hethersett, Little Melton and Bawburgh cast iron assurances that if NHS England back out of it again then their service provision would not be worse than now.

This 200 homes scheme is the very last phase of development planned for construction around 2025 - 2026 I believe so the developer and NHS

England would have four to five years to make all the arrangements for the surgery to gain planning permission and be built before they would start building.

This way residents can be assured their provision would not deteriorate any further whilst NHS England would know if they back out of the arrangement as they did before, they would be holding up development in the village.

This is a pragmatic middle way that would put the onus on NHS to deliver now with all that is at stake.

Note: A Grampian planning condition on an approval would have been proportionate and reasonable and it is a subjective judgement. The officer said it wouldn’t be straight after but gave no explanation of why. Other planning professionals have said it has been applied to many other applications therefore it is frustrating.”

Editor’s Note: A Grampian planning condition is one that precludes the starting on a development until certain criteria have been met in line with Councillor Hardy’s suggestions.

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Enough Is Enough OUR three district council representatives are against the additional 200 houses, our county councillor is against it, our parish council is opposed and hundreds of residents are fighting to stop it.

Yet three people sitting in a council chamber in Long Stratton ignore calls for facilities ahead of development. That apparently is how democracy works today. Even our MP Richard Bacon is on the record as saying that facilities must come before further development.

It doesn’t take a genius to work out that when a village is at breaking point, you have to provide medical facilities, schools, shops and others before allowing wholescale development.

But this is just not happening. Developers are riding roughshod over us, continually cramming in as many homes as possible and, when they find they have land over, putting in applications for even more.

Now that a precedent has been set we are likely to see this happening in Hethersett and all over Norfolk. Developers come in with an application for x number of houses, find they have surplus land, either through luck or design, and then pop an additional planning application in.

This month’s decision will bring 200 additional houses. That will mean at least 600 more residents and probably over 200 extra vehicles. With the 1196 homes already underway or planned, it will see our population rise from 5,441 in 2001 and 5,691 in 2011 to over 12,000!

The facilities we have at present cannot sustain such a population, but this is something the three council members who voted for the 200 increase have either conveniently ignored or overlooked.

These people represent our communities. We would expect them to be fighting tooth and nail for improved facilities but it is quite obvious that they are not prepared to do this. Rather they become bogged down in procedures and strategies without considering the human cost.

Allowing another 200 homes to be built was an appallingly bad decision and one that will have serious repercussions for existing residents who feel that they are under siege from developers and planners.

At least we are fortunate in having three district councillors—Phil Hardy, David Bills and Adrian Dearnley— and a parish council which fights hard for Hethersett, but I fear at times they are hitting their head against the proverbial brick wall.

We all accept that increased housing is inevitable and we have no problem in welcoming newcomers to our wonderful village and are happy to see them integrated into our community, but we must have the ability to say “enough is enough” and no more development until the necessary facilities are in place. We fully back Councillor Phil Hardy’s idea that no further development should be allowed until such assurances are in place.

Herald Comment


THE current situation that allows the building of hundreds of houses without proper, well-thought out and properly funded infrastructure development is increasingly insane.

Hethersett is not alone in this regard, but something needs to be done to really raise the debate to a level that makes those making such decisions sit up and listen.

I don’t believe, as some do, that this is simply a party political issue, but I cannot understand how one person can effectively be responsible for such a big decision that will impact an already over-stretched village. I know that is democracy at work, but in this case I don’t believe it is working.

And the argument that we “used less space to build the current houses, so we want to build more” is bonkers and gives power to the counter argument that more people will require even better infrastructure.

Our village will soon be home to 10,000 people and that will bring more cars, more potential for anti-social behaviour, more pressure on everyday life.

Personally, I am not against development here. I live on Churchfields, a development that I’m sure caused significant concerns a few decades ago. Villages by their nature are always growing and have done so for centuries.

But, it is the scale of that development that is often inappropriate. This coupled with the complete “head-in-the sand” approach from planners and some councillors who have no idea of the real life impact on our community.

That is the issue.

It is also the size of gardens, too small to give space to live comfortably side by side and once everyone gets air source heat pumps the combined noise of the fans in winter is likely to be considerable (I actually don’t think the Government’s air source heat pump will happen as they hope).

The large-scale house-builders, by their nature are driven purely by profit. How many houses can we get on an acre of land? How quickly and cheaply can we build them? What is the absolute minimum we can get away with in terms of providing community infrastructure?

Already we have two primary schools to serve the educational needs of those living here, but our doctors’ surgery is facing huge pressures at a time we need the very best health care provision. Traffic will build up at key junctions leading out of the village and outside Tesco etc. I’m sure there are plenty of other consequences.

And the infrastructure we need is not just better roads, shops, surgeries, etc. The football club is already turning children away and has large waiting lists at the younger age groups because there is simply not enough playing space in the village. This will simply get worse.

I think a starting point would be a simple set of graphics… unfortunately the vast majority of people don’t read long articles…I hope you are still with me?

Letter To The Editor


A graphic that shows what happens when 200 additional houses are built in a village. A graphic to show how many people that is, how many additional cars, what pressure will it put on doctors, shops, parking, vehicle journeys etc.

A graphic that shows what S106 funding is and what rules there are. A graphic that shows how many changes and what they were to the original planning spec i.e reduction in affordable home. A graphic that shows house-builders profit per house and development. A graphic that shows just what South Norfolk Council has

done in terms of improving infrastructure in our village and other villages.

a graphic outlining the poor quality of the new builds. I’m not sure where the info would come from, but maybe a survey of those living on the latest developments?

Apologies for the rambling nature but this latest planning decision just got me thinking and a little bit angry.

Yours Sincerely

Bob Crawley

Hethersett

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Speeding Motorists Caught Hethersett Beat Officer PC Stu Barnard (pictured opposite) recently carried out speed checks on New Road and caught two motorists speeding in one five minute period.

"I received some complaints in Hethersett in relation to speeding along New Road. I carried out speed enforcement on Sunday 24th October at about 2 pm and within a five minute period captured two motorists driving at excessive speed,” he said.

Speeding is one of PC Barnard's priorities for the area and he is keen to hear from residents with concerns on specific village roads. You can find his contact details elsewhere in this edition of Hethersett Herald. We have passed on a number of comments on Facebook of areas that residents find particularly prone to speeding.


Rowan House Sold Health and Well Being Centre to become a veterinary practice

(Continued From The Front Page)

ROWAN House Health and Wellbeing Centre in Queen’s Road has been sold to Wymondham Veterinary Clinic.

The owners have described their decision to sell as having been made with “much sadness.”

The sale ends an association with the premises by the Tuddenham family going back 33 years and the economic downturn following the pandemic is a major reason cited for the decision to sell. The family expressed their sadness to Hethersett Herald at selling the building, a decision they described as “sad” as manager Rachel Pailes explained:

“The World Pandemic saw the instant closure of the entire centre and all its associated services and income. It also changed the face of the wellbeing industry with many therapy services and classes moving online with new found ways of working.”

“Initial recovery was slow but encouraging. However, the strict measures and then the second lockdown further reduced confidence,” Rachel added.

Earlier this year the family investigated additional income streams which included taking on Hethersett Post Office. It was at that point that the family received an approach from Wymondham Veterinary Clinic which

was looking to re-locate from their town centre location and recognised the potential of Rowan House with its ideal location, welcoming reception area and plenty of parking.

Even so accepting their offer was not an easy decision as the family explains:

‘When something you have loved and invested in so heavily can be taken away from you so quickly and with such an unpredictable future, the security of the centre was extremely fragile. When approached by the buyers our head and hearts were torn in opposite directions, but we could see how this was such a good fit and that the building would continue to be a loved and important part of the community moving forwards. The most difficult thing has been telling our staff. Our unique selling point has always been our welcoming and professional reception and back-office support staff. Over the years, our team have been the face of many businesses and have been the beating heart of the


centre. We are so thankful to all past and present staff who have made Rowan House a part of our family and the community for such a long time”.

Rachel’s parents Graham and Mary Tuddenham purchased the house and adjoining shop and opened the first Business Centre in Norfolk in 1988, providing fully serviced office accommodation. It very quickly expanded with a new 10 room extension and reception area. Over almost three decades, Hethersett Business Centre (later to become The Business Base) was the home to hundreds of independent businesses, including many start-ups and even national brands such as the Halifax Building Society.

For 20 years the services the business centre provided were not easily accessible to the public and as a result there was always a heavy demand for the offices. However, the centre had to constantly adapt to the ever-changing face of technology which by the noughties saw increased use of mobile phones, e-mail and internet resulting in a decreased demand for these services.

In 2013 the base introduced its first therapy suite within the centre and by 2015 it made the decision to explore the potential to expand on this. Led by the next generation, Rachel (a Children’s Physiotherapist) saw the potential Rowan House and its facilities had for wellbeing services and undertook a complete refurbishment of the building to provide a health and wellbeing centre.

At its peak, Rowan House Health and Wellbeing Centre was home to over 50 practitioners and, in late 2019, the family involvement was complete when

Rachel’s sister Maxine Rushton joined Rowan House to take the centre to the next level and assisted with the opening of Kin Café. There was even involvement from a third generation with grandson Ethan working in Kin whilst he completed his studies.

At that point, with the café set to compliment the centre and open the wellbeing services to the wider population of South Norfolk, the future was very exciting. But then came the economic downturn.

Wymondham Vets, which will now be known as Rowan House Vets, officially acquired the building on October 25th.

A number of existing health practitioners will continue to offer their services from the front of the building. These services will range from osteopathy to counselling.

The new owners are also keen to keep Kin Café running and are looking for somebody to take on the lease of the café as an ongoing business concern. In the meantime Rachel and Maxine will continue to run it with their existing staff.

The new owners told Herald: “We are extremely excited to be moving our independent veterinary clinic to the heart of Hethersett and feel very lucky to have the opportunity to make Rowan House our new home. With the addition of parking and a lovely café, we are hoping to offer a family feel veterinary clinic to the heart of Hethersett”.

The Rowan House website at www.rowanhousecentre.co.uk will continue to operate for the next six months offering up-to-date information regarding the location of practitioners and details of the future of Café Kin.


Muddy Trouble IN rural areas, mud on the roads has always been a problem.

During October, Hethersett suffered a volume of sticky gunk as mud deposited by farm vehicles turned to a gloopy mess, particularly down New Road as the photograph taken by Greg Gladwell shows.

“When it rains it looks like a traffic accident waiting to happen,” was typical of the comments posted on Facebook.

Photographs of the muddy roads were sent to Hethersett Parish Council and clerk Annette Palmer has reported the problem to Norfolk County Council’s Highways Department.

Future Still In Doubt

THE future of a post office in Hethersett is still surrounded by confusion.

Current postmaster Kevin Salmon has indicated his intention of retiring later in the year.

Initially at least two local businesses expressed an interest in taking on a post office within their existing business, but very little came of that.

The ongoing saga continued at the October meeting of Hethersett Parish Council when members heard that “there is still one interested party” in taking on the post office role.

The identity of the “interested party” was not divulged and there seems to be confusion over the date when the current post office will close

“There seem to be lots of rumours circulating. It seems to be a matter of wait and see,” said parish council vice-chairman Stephen Slack.


LOCAL CARER SCOOPS NATIONAL TITLE

Lee Sharpe of Hethersett Hall Care Home has been named National Dementia Care Champion of the Year in the Barchester Care Awards 2021.

The awards celebrate the staff who go the extra mile for the benefit of the 12,000 residents living in Barchester’s 248 care homes and private hospitals across the country. Categories range from ‘Registered Nurse of the Year’ and ‘Carer of the Year’ to ‘Dementia Care Champion’ and ‘Activities Coordinator of the Year’.

More than 2,900 nominations were received from homes and hospitals across the UK. All entries were a very high standard and Lee said he was over the moon to have been named the national winner, beating hundreds of other nominees to the coveted title.

Lee said: “I feel very humbled to receive this, I don’t see what I do as work. I do this job because of the enjoyment I get from seeing happy residents, if they are smiling it makes my day!”

Lee Sharpe’s win was announced at a special national award ceremony on October 13th to celebrate the outstanding achievements of Barchester’s many exemplary staff members who have all witnessed first-hand the hardest 18 months in the history of social care.

Hethersett Hall General Manager, Kerry Tidd, said: “This is an amazing achievement and the whole home is so proud of him. Lee is an integral part of the home and a great role model for his team. His passion and dedication to the care and wellbeing of our memory lane residents is truly inspiring.”

“We’re making our homes as safe as possible and will ensure that all new residents and staff are vaccinated before moving in or working in our homes. Please do give us a call on 01603 810478 if you are looking for care or need any further help, Kerry Tidd added.

Hethersett Hall is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering high-quality care across its care homes and hospitals. Hethersett Hall provides residential, dementia and respite care.

You can read more news from Hethersett Hall later in this edition of Hethersett Herald.


Congratulations To Our Marathon Heroes

Congratulations to everyone from Hethersett and the surrounding areas who completed the London marathon, raising a considerable amount for charity.

David Powles (pictured opposite) completed the course in 3 hours 45 minutes and 18 seconds.

David was raising money for the Priscilla Bacon Hospice Appeal. His aim on his Virgin Money Giving page was to raise £2,000. He has already easily surpassed that figure with a current total of £5,280.

Chris Doggett (pictured below right) completed his second London Marathon and raised funds for Retina UK, the charity for inherited sight loss.

Chris was formerly a resident of Little Melton and had a lengthy connection with education in Hethersett.

Kate Gooding (pictured above) finished in 3 hours 43 minutes and two seconds.. She has raised over £2000 for Cancer Research UK.

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2022 Pantomime Is Cancelled JUST as we were going to press we received the news that the Hethersett Pantomime scheduled for January 2020 has been cancelled.

Chair of the pantomime group, Neville Greenhalgh, said that reluctantly a decision to cancel Aladdin had been taken before tickets went on sale. A number of factors had combined to make the decision to cancel, one of which was concerns over the continuation of COVID and having a large gathering in a relatively small space.

Aladdin will now be performed in January 2023.


More Details of Platinum Celebrations HETHERSETT is preparing to celebrate the platinum anniversary of the Queen in style.

Sunday 5th June is being set aside for a major celebration centred around the village hall.

The day is likely to feature music and entertainment, a children’s disco, a fete with games and stalls, a walking trail and fancy dress competitions for all ages from under-fives to adults and also dogs.

The event is being organised and overseen by the parish council

On the following Thursday (9th), Hethersett Hearts will be organising an afternoon tea for senior residents in the village hall. This will be a free ticketed event with groups able to book block tickets. There will also be recorded music.

THERE has been a good response to the plea for more footballers to sign up for Hethersett Athletic’s Men’s Saturday team.

Last month we carried a story about the team’s future being in doubt after an exodus of players, but now the corner appears to have been turned thanks to a new partnership with Wroxham Football Club.

An appeal for players appeared in Hethersett Herald, the Eastern Daily Press and Norwich Evening News and brought forward a good response as chairman of Hethersett Athletic Neal Luther explained:

“We had a good response and got some new players. One guy is travelling from King’s Lynn. As a club we have also been in discussions with Wroxham FC around having a joint venture where their Under-17s and

Under-18s use our Saturday side to give them experience of adult football. Some of these lads already play for Wroxham Reserves and a couple have played in the first team.”

It means that the Hethersett team will have about 25 players registered: “These boys are all of a good standard and will improve the team tremendously. Wroxham will also be supporting manager Michael Lemmon with a coach on match days too,” Neal added.

It doesn't mean it’s all plain sailing for Hethersett, however: “A couple of weeks in October brought difficulty in raising a team, but fingers crossed we are now over the worst,” Neal added.

Football Team Is Over The Worst

Neal Luther—Appeal for players brought a

good response


Road Closures Will Bring Overnight Traffic to Hethersett

Vehicles to be re-routed along B1172

THE B1172 is likely to see a large increase in traffic over the next month or so as resurfacing of the A11 takes place overnight.

National Highways have sent letters to local residents informing them of the work which started on October 24th and which will continue until next February.

The work which is going under the imaginative title of Concrete Reconstruction and Surface Repair Scheme will see parts of the A11 repaired where the road has suffered cracks. Potholes will also be filled in. There will be new drainage and road markings and cat’s eyes will be installed.

National Highways are claiming that when complete the work will “improve safety and provide a smoother journey for all road users.”

“It will also extend the life of the road surface with fewer closures for maintenance repairs, meaning more reliable journeys for everyone,” Highways claim.

Phase one will repair the carriageway between the Tuttles Lane Interchange at Wymondham and Thickthorn. This will see the A11 southbound carriageway closed between 8 pm and 6 am from now until December 9th.

Then the northbound carriageway will be closed overnight from December 9th until December 23rd. There will be no closures over the Christmas period from December 23rd until January 4th.

From January 4th until February 13th, the northbound carriageway will be closed overnight as the work is completed. There is also the possibility of some other overnight closures.

During the closures vehicles will be re-routed along the B1172 through our parish.


Tidy Up Time NINETEEN volunteers turned up in perfect weather on October 17th for the latest village litter pick.

The monthly picks regularly collect numerous bags of rubbish from different area of the village.

“We would like to thank all the lovely people who turned up for the latest litter pick,” said one of the organisers Geoff Dyett.

Photographs courtesy of Geoff

Dyett


A former Hethersett man who gave years of selfless service to local communities has died.

The family of Ian Harrison of Wymondham have spoken in glowing terms of his humanity and special qualities that made everyone he came into contact with feel special.

Ian, who died in the Priscilla Bacon Lodge aged 71, was a Norfolk man through and through, being born in the county in 1950. He grew up in West Earlham and was educated at the Hewett School. He started his working life in Great Yarmouth making and delivering dental plates before working at the Archie King scrapyard ahead of joining the Eastern Electricity Board as a storeman and then training to become a lineman, an occupation he followed until his retirement.

He met his future wife June through a mutual friend at a dance at the Samson and Hercules nightclub in Tombland, Norwich. June was a “Heartsease Girl” and they were married in Heartsease Methodist Church on October 5

th, 1974.

Daughter Louise was born in 1978 and son Bobby in 1981. Ian and June have two grandsons – Reggie and Albert. They lived in Norwich before moving to Hethersett in 1986 and subsequently to Wymondham.

Ian had a passion for football, playing for a number of Norfolk amateur clubs including Earlham Spinney. After moving to Hethersett, he began coaching youth teams with son Bobby an integral member of his side.

In 2000, Ian was awarded the prestigious Lee Thompson Memorial Trophy by Hethersett Athletic Football

Ian and June

Selfless Service of a True Gentleman


Ian Harrison is photographed with the team that he managed for the memorial football match in August in memory of Lee Thompson.

Club for outstanding contribution to football. The trophy is in memory of Lee who was killed in a road accident, aged 17. Ian had coached Lee in the village. Despite being seriously ill, Ian attended a memorial match to Lee Thompson and managed one of the teams just a few weeks before his death.

Throughout his life, Ian fostered a love of both pop/rock and classical music with special emphasis on the 1960s including the Beatles and the Small Faces and also Northern Soul. This love saw him join both the Norwich Music Group and the South Norfolk Operatic Society which later became the Wymondham-based Encore Singing Group. He shared his love of music with June who is an accomplished soprano.

Ian’s connection began with backstage and front of house work but then progressed to onstage singing roles where he was able to give full expression to the extrovert showman side of his personality.

A number of years ago, Ian visited the Pabulum Dementia Support Group at Wymondham and was so moved by their work that he became a volunteer helping out at their regular cafes. Outside of fulfilling volunteer roles, Ian was also a keen golfer and photographer and had an allotment in Wymondham.


Ian was always known as a “snappy dresser” and, in his teenage years, was a mod, owning a number of scooters, a love of which he passed onto his son Bobby who is now the owner of Hustle Boxing Fitness Gym in Norwich.

“Ian always came alive when he was around people. He had the ability to light up a room. He jelled with people and he made them come alive. He will really be missed by so many people as he made everyone feel special. He was always so supportive of myself and his family.

“I still feel his presence. We had so much more that we wanted to do with our lives together, but he will always be with me,” his wife of 47 years said.

“Dad helped so many people and I hope that some of his humanity has rubbed off on me and what I do,” son Bobby said.

A service and celebration of Ian’s life took place at Earlham Crematorium on Tuesday 19

th October and

featured some of his favourite music. Ian leaves a wife, a son and daughter, two grandsons and a brother David. Another brother Phillip died a number of years ago.

Danny Gaskin who had a close connection with Ian through youth and then senior football summed up the feelings of so many when he posted the following on Facebook:

“Ian was one of the kindest, most supportive, funniest and happiest people I've ever had the privilege to know.”

Ian and son Bobby


Peter Steward remembers a friend

I CAN’T exactly remember the first time I met Ian Harrison but I certainly remember our times together coaching youth football.

At the time Ian lived in Meadow Close in Hethersett, His son Rob (sorry Bobby but I have to call you Rob as that’s how I have always known you) was a talented footballer who I remember from the days when I used to wander down to Woodside School when it was in Firs Road to do a spot of coaching on a Friday lunchtime.

Whether Rob got his skills from his dad I have no idea but I soon found out that Ian had bucketfuls of charisma. Youngsters responded to his enthusiasm, his love of the game and his general joi de vivre which never waned. I can still hear him stalking the touchline shouting encouragement to his players and boy did they respond.

When Ian moved to Wymondham he went to pastures new, becoming an integral part of the Encore singing group, firstly supporting his beloved June and then moving from backroom to the stage.

For the lovely thing is that Ian was an extrovert without the slightest touch of arrogance. As others have said, he really did light up the room with his smile and his love of people.

The last time I saw Ian was at the Lee Thompson Memorial match at Mulbarton which we covered extensively in the Hethersett Herald. Ian was worn down by the cancer that shortly after took his life. But he was still able to walk the touchlines, shouting instructions to his team—many of whom were either just over or approaching 40.

I know that turning up that day took a massive effort from Ian but I also know that he appreciated the love that was shown to him by everyone.

Despite his illness Ian’s first words to me and my wife on that day were “how are you both.” That was typical of the man.

I will always remember his last words to me as I left the field. “Let’s have a man hug. I think we’ve known each other for enough years.” There seemed to be a finality in that hug. I think both Ian and I knew that we wouldn’t see each other again.”

Now with Ian gone we are all left with our memories of a father, a husband, a family man, a community worker, a lover of sport, photography and music and above all a man whose sunny character rubbed off on everyone he met. Since his death I have cultivated a new phrase when I have felt a bit down: “I’m going to channel my inner Ian.” And I tell you something it works.


HETHERSETT and the Meltons’ Sports Association is back in action after its enforced COVID shutdown.

Quarterly meetings re-commenced on October 20th with a get together at the King’s Head.

The aims of the association are to look at

How to come together as a community and support each individual sports club

How to source grant opportunities in South Norfolk.

How to create an awareness for sports in Hethersett, Little Melton and Great Melton.

How to work with clubs to attract more volunteers.

Great Melton Cricket Club needs your votes.

The club, which is raising funds for improvements to its pavilion, has been shortlisted as one of the Persimmon Homes Building Futures finalists and it could win up to £100K.

It all depends on how many votes the club receives. Great Melton CC is one of 32 finalists from across the country in the sports category and the only one from our area. The awards are designed to support children's health in sport, education and the arts.

You can vote everyday from now until 19th November and can use multiple devices to register votes. The club has mounted a media campaign in an attempt to get as many votes as possible.

First prize in the sports section is £100,000. Second prize is £50,000 and third prize is £20,000. All the finalists

will receive £5,000.

This is the details of the Great Melton application:

Great Melton Cricket Club is a Clubmark accredited village club with eight junior teams, including under-11 and under-13 girls. Our beautiful parkland setting is the hub of our small village community. We offer a full programme of junior coaching and competitions, funded mostly by subscription, donations and fundraising activities. Having seen a large increase in female participation we would like to support these players further by ensuring we can provide suitable facilities. We are fundraising to create additional changing and toilet facilities for our girls to use, helping them to establish and maintain a life-long habit of healthy sporting activity.

You can vote for Great Melton by going to: https://www.persimmonhomes.com/building-futures/finalists.

They Need Your Vote


Caring and Sharing CARING for hedgehogs has led a Hethersett resident to present a cheque to the PACT charity shop in the village.

Hethersett Parish Councillor Jenny Walpole donated the profits from her stall at a recent village garage sale to the charity.

Jenny and neighbour Sue Headicar saved a number of hedgehogs and took them to PACT where they were cared for and returned to the wild. So as a way of saying thanks for saving our prickly friends they donated the money from sale of plants and other items to the charity.

On October 15th, Jenny presented her cheque to manager of the Hethersett shop Daniel Wicks. The presentation is pictured above.

PACT Hethersett manager Daniel Wicks accepts the cheque from Jenny Walpole. Jenny is also

photographed on the right.


Hethersett resident Chloe Kidd has started out as a photographer as she told us: “I’m just starting out as a photographer. I’m looking to build up my portfolio at the mo-ment and gain some experience as it’s been a while since I last picked up a cam-era. If anyone is interested just give me a shout.”

Chloe has a Facebook page at:

Chloeelizabethkiddphotography

She will be organising an Autumn/Christmas photoshoot on November 27th from 9 am at Butterfly Studios, Hurricane

Way, Norwich. Further details of this and how to take part are available from Chloe at: [email protected].

Hethersett Parish Church is looking for keen flower arrangers to join its Flower Guild team and is inviting residents to a special coffee morn-ing to find out more as organiser Adele Kent explained.

“Are you interested in flower arranging or even helping with watering our ar-rangements during the week? You do not need to be an expert, some in our group are beginners and some are more experienced arrangers.

“Please come and join us for coffee/tea and cake and meet the ladies on the flower rota. We will explain what we do and help in any way we can. It would

be lovely to see you.

“We hope you enjoy the flowers in church. So, if you would like to join as an arranger or sup-port us by watering – this helps to keep our flowers in top condition and to last

longer – come along to the coffee morning, Adele said.

The coffee morning will take place on Saturday 27th November in the church from 10 am until midday.

For more information Adele can be contacted on 07714 210436 or

[email protected]

Coffee and Floral Displays

________________________________________________________________


It Wasn’t The First Time

Hethersett Bus Shelter Takes Another Hit

IT’S an anniversary that local residents just didn’t want to see.

Twenty years after the bus shelter on the B1172 was demolished after being hit by a vehicle, the same thing has happened again.

The picture above was taken in 2001 and that over the page was taken in the middle of October, just over 20 years later. Older residents were left thinking “it’s happened again.”

The shelter is now out of action until emergency repairs have been com-pleted. It is thought that the damage was caused by an out of control car and the matter is in the hands of Norfolk Police.


Damage to the bus shelter on the B1172 opposite the turning to New Road.

These pictures were taken by the editor.

The photograph on the previous page was taken 20 years ago and is courtesy of the official Hethersett Archive.


The Day They Got Artistic with a Bus Shelter

WHEN we mentioned bus shelters to village archivist Gary Wyatt it immediately prompted memories of the day in 2004 when a shelter in New Road was given a make over.

Overnight the shelter was decked out to resemble a front room with chairs, lamps and even a television set.

The local newspaper had the following words to say:

“While bus shelters traditionally include at best a couple of plastic seats, some graffiti and a few emp-ty cans of beer, people in Hethersett can boast a shelter which is positively luxurious.”

Finally on the theme of bus shelters. Recently we found the remains of a takeaway meal just left in a shelter in New Road. Obviously whoever left it didn’t like the contents, but this is littering on an unac-ceptable scale.


With Gillian Saunders

By the time you read this the work on the roof should be well un-derway. Unfortunately the work, which should have been completed in the summer, was unable to go ahead due to the problems getting supplies!

So we have everything crossed that this time everything is in place for the work to go ahead and we will once again be snug and dry for the winter. We have taken the opportunity, as we were given some unexpected funding, to upgrade the lights too. So hopefully we should be able to see better as well as being dry.

We need next to look at the outside lights as the current ones don’t give enough light to enable the young peo-ple to be able to use the car park area to play in the dark evenings.

I am delighted to say that we appointed Rebecca Rout as Youth Worker for the Year 7+ group which will start after half term on a Friday evening at the hall. Exact time will be advertised on the group’s Facebook page, but we expect it to be something like 7pm to 8:30/9pm depending on the ages of the members and how Rebecca feels about the amount of time the group should run for.

We were unable to appoint an assistant for this group so will need a rota of vol-unteers. We will advertise for an assis-tant but if you have experience of chil-dren or young people and would be interested in the post please talk to one of the trustees. If you are able to volun-teer with this group or with the Wednesday group we would be very pleased to hear from you.

We are going to wait until after Christ-mas to start the Wellbeing group as we want to establish the Year 7+ group and ensure we have enough volunteers before starting another two groups.

We will be reopening the hall on 31st October so all regular bookings will be back after that date. We would like to welcome one of the Brownie Packs to the hall and hope they will find their new home meets their needs.

We have a few daytime slots available for hall hire and it is free most week-ends too. If you are interested in hiring it for one off or regular bookings please get in touch with me on 01603 759449.

News From Jubilee Youth Club

Roof Work Is Underway


From Hethersett to Ghana

H ETHERSETT Athletic football club has gone global.

The local club is supporting youngsters in Africa by donating shirts to help them enjoy their football.

John Bakewell, described how the link with Ghana came about.

“My twin sister is the Director of Service in Mission in Ghana and one of her colleagues is involved in building community relationships through sport, particularly with young

people. It’s a great way to discuss teamwork, looking out for each other and creating relationships within a safe environment.

John also organised a fund-raising quiz on behalf of Hethersett Atheltic FC with money going toward the new pavilion building on Hethersett Memorial Playing Field.

An impressive £1,700 was raised with many local clubs and organisations fielding teams.

Raffle prizes were supplied by local businesses and organisations.


Village Screen– Coming Films

THE next film organised by Hethersett Village Screen will be Ammonite on November 7th

Ammonite will be followed by Summerland on December 5th.

Ammonite is set in the Dorset of the 1840s. Acclaimed but overlooked fossil hunter Mary Anning (Kate Winslet) works alone on the rugged Southern coastline. With the days of her famed discoveries behind her, she now searches for common fossils to sell to tourists to support herself and her ailing mother.

When a wealthy visitor entrusts Mary with the care of his wife Charlotte Murchison (Saoirse Ronan), she cannot afford to turn his offer down. Proud and relentlessly passionate about her work, Mary initially clashes with her unwelcome guest, but, despite the distance between their social class and personalities, an intense bond begins to develop, compelling the two women to determine the true nature of their relationship.

Summerland stars Gemma Arterton as a reclusive writer who is forced to bond with a young boy who has been entrusted to her care during the Battle of Britain in 1940 and later, during the early days of the London Blitz.

Films are shown on Sunday afternoons at 3 pm in Hethersett Village Hall

Ticket prices are £5 for adults

November—Ammonite

December– Summerland


THE planning application to turn the church hall in Henstead Road into a private dwelling has brought over 50 comments from members of the public who want to save the building as a community facility.

Two of our district councillors—Phil Hardy and Adrian Dearnley—have made the following comments:

“As many of the public comments have said this is a change of use to produce one single dwelling, whilst the village will lose a valuable community facility when there is already a shortage of adequate local facilities to meet the needs of an ever expanding population. It should also be noted that the Hall is in continuous use and there appears to be no alternative venue within a reasonable distance for the classes currently held there.”

Hethersett Parish Council has also agreed to oppose the plans which are now likely to go before a South Norfolk planning committee rather than be decided by council officers. Comments left on social media include:

“In a village already swamped with new housing developments there is no pressing need for one more residence. There is, however, a definite lack of community space available to a growing population. I feel that the information provided within this application is misleading as this building is not solely used for public worship and is not redundant. The Church Hall provides a vital venue for a number of activity groups.”

“With more and more houses being built in the village, we need more community spaces not less.”

“It is important to preserve this piece of village history. Given the effects of Covid, there is also a need for local economic recovery and for the Council to provide support for local business and the needs of our children.”

Concerns have also been expressed about the noise and disruption that building work would cause in light of the extended use of Henstead Road for traffic going to the new Woodside School and also the fact it is on a bus route.

The Stella School of Dance which is the primary hirers of the hall have already opposed the application.

Church authorities say that the hall is a drain on resources and would be costly to upkeep. There is no doubt that it is currently not in a good state of repair.

All the documents connected with this application are available on the South Norfolk Council planning website.

Opposition To Plans


News From Hethersett Hawks

By Mel Perkins MBE

HETHERSETT Hawks/Yellow Brick Mortgages staged five hours of entertaining racing that the 25 riders and their supporters enjoyed as they staged the club championships.

The afternoon was dominated by the Martin and Musa families as they went away with seven titles, the only exceptions being the Under-8s and Under-13s.

In the Under-8s Oscar Copeland was untroubled in his five rides while Ralph Silvester finally put five rides together without falling off to become runner-up.

Noah Cameron overcame some poor starts to secure third place as he gets used to a larger bike.

The Under-16s was never in doubt for Mason Martin but the best racing was between the next two who were equally matched and needed a race-off to decide the minor places - Will Clarke looked favourite having won the toss but a strong start and first bend saw

Harry Dodds go clear. Confidence is something coach Nigel Longlands has been trying to emphasise with the youngsters and in the Under-10s Jamal Musa showed how much he had listened as he sped to the front of his races and did not look back not



allowing his main rival Luca El Labany any chance to find a passing line.

Lola Martin put four tidy races together to finish third. Paul Delaiche set the early pace in the Under-19s but Mason Martin won his remaining three races and won his second title of the day.

Daniel Martin was always in contention but slipping on corners left him chasing most of the time.

The third set of categories were the most completive and eventful - Under-13s and Seniors. Aiesha Musa's early win over Harry Dodds looked significant but Harry got his revenge later and, after an unusual bike seizure, Aiesha's change of machine

reduced her chances of passing an inspired Will Clarke in her final race. This gave Harry the chance to win his last race and claim the title outright.

Mason Martin outshone all his peers in the Senior event winning his first three races and recovering from a near fall in his last to follow Paul Delache home to become one of the youngest ever winners of the title which Hawks have contested since 1966 and take the Hurrell Individual Trophy home - one that originated with the former Hornets club of the 1940s.

Paul was runner-up and Daniel Martin saw off his father Dave in a race-off for third place.



After the intense racing it was time for the more fun events as the Ladies and Veterans took to the track.

Both events were won by maximums - Aiesha Musa and Dave Martin - but the competition for podium places in the Veterans kept everyone on their toes.

The final event was the Maiden Plate for all riders who have never won any of the club championships.

Daniel Martin was the most experienced rider in the field and he had the luxury of allowing youngster Remy Davies a victory in his last race to wide acclaim.

The highlight was a one-family race when Thalia Silver narrowly defeated both parents on the line. Finally there was one more good race as James Hankey passed Alex Osborne in a race-off - a fitting end as both riders had competed all afternoon.

* * *

Full Results -

Under-8s-Oscar Copeland 20, Ralph Silvester 18, Noah Cameron 16, Arlo Davies 13, Remy Davies 12, Grace Cameron 11.

Under-16 - Mason Martin 16, Harry Dodds 10, Will Clarke 10, James Hankey 4.

Under-10—Jamal Musa 16, Luca El Labany 14, Lola Martin 12, Oscar Copeland 10, Austin Brailey 8, Arlo Davies 6, Remy Davies 4.

Under-19—Mason Martin 15, Paul Delaiche 13, Daniel Martin 8, Alex Osborne 4.

Under-13—Harry Dodds 15, Aiesha Musa 14, Will Clarke 13, Thalia Silver 9, James Hankey 9, Alex Osborne 5, Austin Brailey 5.

Senior—Mason Martin 15, Paul Delaiche 13, Daniel Martin 11, Dave Martin 11, Harley Hamill 8, Rob Silver 6, Katie Adams 5.

Ladies—Aiesha Musa 16, Lola Martin 12, Thalia Silver 8, Jo Silver 4.

Veterans—Dave Martin 16, Nigel Longlands 11, Rod Burke 10, Rob Silver 9, Jo Silver 4.

Maiden Plate—Daniel Martin 15, Thalia Silver 14, James Hankey 13, Alex Osborne 13, Jo Silver 12, Remy Davies 11, Austin Brailey 11, Arlo Davies 10, Rob Silver 9.

Celebration Time

Hawks will celebrate their season at the club’s presentation evening on Friday, November 26th, at Hethersett Social Club.

You can keep up to date with our activities on our website:

www.hethersetthawks.co.uk or via social media


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By Mel Perkins MBE

The final round of the Norfolk HSBC Go-Ride and Senior Grand Prix Series ended eight consecutive Wednesday evenings of exciting racing and, on a perfect September evening under lights, a record attendance of 36 riders took to the track at Hethersett.

So competitive was the racing that there were a number of crashes, including a couple of injury scares for older riders, but in the end the racing proved to be the winner.

Apart from in the Senior category, the series winners were not in doubt but they did not have it all their own way. Having said that, they did all win on the night - Max Pugh (Under-8s), Zachary Eastwood (Under-10s), Connor Jarrett (Under-13s racing up an age category) and Mason Martin (Under-16s), the latter again coming from last to first in a closely fought three-rider race bravely contested by McKenzie Loombe who earlier had withdrawn from heats after a painful leg injury.

The Senior category was the toughest round yet and it was series leader Jamie Medler who lost out as he was relegated to last place in the "A" Final and pipped in the final reckoning by second-placed Ben Loombe, the final having been won by Harley Hamill.

In total 49 riders have contested the series showing Norfolk's future on the cycle-speedway map is well assured - the latest additions were Benedict Koehler and Rob Silver, whose swashbuckling style was a highlight for the crowd.


Finals -Under-8: A - 1 Max Pugh 2 Oscar Copeland,3 Noah Cameron 4 Grace Cameron

B - 1 Arlo Davies 2 Remy Davies.

Under-10 A - 1 Zachary Eastwood 2 Luca El Labany 3 Frank Spauls 4 Jamal Musa

B - 1 Stanley Budds 2 Lola Martin 3 Benedict Koehler 4 Austin Brailey.

Under-13 A - 1 Connor Jarrett 2 Aiesha Musa 3 Harry Dodds 4 Tabitha Neirop. B - 1 Matthew Sidell 2 Amelia Dodson 3 Thalia Silver 4 James Hankey. C - 1 Alex Osborne

Under-16 A - 1 Mason Martin 2 Shaun Kell 3 McKenzie Loombe

Senior A - 1 Harley Hamill 2 Ben Loombe 3 Leigh Cossey 4 Jamie Medler. B - 1 Dave Martin 2 Rory Freeman 3 Paul Delaiche 4 Tom Blackmore. C - 1 Rob Silver 2 Richard Taylor

Final Overall Standings - (best six rounds to count)

Under -8 - 1 Max Pugh 150, 2 Oscar Copeland 120, 3 Noah Cameron 102

Under-10 - 1 Zachary Eastwood 140, 2 Jamal Musa 110, 3 Luca El Labany 101 *

Under-13 - 1 Connor Jarrett 150, 2 Aiesha Musa 120, 3 Harry Dodds 106

Under-16 - 1 Mason Martin 145, 2 McKenznzie Loombe 121, 3 Shaun Kell 108

Senior - 1 Ben Loombe 123, 2 Jamie Medler 119, 3 Tom Blackmore 100

* on the night Stanlety Budds was placed third with 98 but a recount noted that Luca should be placed third despite only contested five rounds - he will receive an additional trophy at a later date.

All of this would not have been possible without a lot of hard work from officials at Hethersett, Norwich and Spixworth for whom the riders and parents/supporters showed appreciation with a resounding round of applause.

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The Norfolk individual Championships are always one of the highlights of the local calendar and the event attracted much interest from riders, former riders, parents, families and the many curious passers-by on a Sunday afternoon at the busy Eaton Park in Norwich.

The racing did not disappoint either and, in the end, the eight titles on offer were shared equally between members of Norwich Stars and Hethersett Hawks.

Oscar Copeland was outstanding to be unbeaten in the Under-8s with brothers Arlo and Remy Davies picking up the minor awards, just reward for two of the keenest new recruits this season at Hethersett.

The Under-16s was more competitive with home favourite Shaun Kell battling with Mason Martin for supremacy and McKenzie Loombe in the mix but suffering a couple of falls which let Connor Jarrett in for a medal, his first of three in the afternoon. Mason got the better of Shaun in two of their three clashes and that was enough for the title.

Connor was never likely to be beaten in the Under-10s and so it proved but the competition for minor places was quite hot and home track knowledge helped to secure a 1-2-3 for the Stars with Zachary Eastwood and Frank Spauls being too strong for the best Hethersett challenger Luca El Labany who had a couple of sluggish starts.

The Under-19s was reduced at the last minute to three riders and Mason Martin completed a double ahead of his brother Daniel and Tom Blackmore.

The Under-13s was eagerly awaited and Shaun Kell made up for early disappointment to crucially defeat Connor Jarrett on the line in heat five and they were joined on the podium by Will Blackmore who pipped Aiesha Musa by one point.

The Blue Riband event - the Norfolk Senior dating back to 1950 - attracted eight riders and it was former champion and the Peter Pan of Norfolk cycle-speedway Paddy Wenn who showed all his skills to win his four rides. Ben Loombe had won three of his races but a third pace in heat five meant 14 points put him level with the impressive Mason Martin and into a race-off for second place. Unfortunately Ben suffered the worst possible fate by getting excluded for movement while under starter’s orders.

As the weather got colder and daylight drew to a close, the Ladies and Veterans ensured the entertainment kept coming. Paddy Wenn was expected to have a stroll to retain the Veterans’ title but he really had to work hard against Dave Martin and Rory Freeman.

Former Ladies champion Katie Adams tried to hold off the exuberance of youth but the standard of girls racing is improving in Norfolk and it was Aiesha Musa who took maximum points with


Four Titles For Hawks


News From Hethersett Hawks Tabi Neirop too fast for the rest. One additional race was needed as three girls fought for the third place on the podium and it was a popular win for Amelia Dodson, especially as she had to miss the Hethersett Club Championships due to COVID-19.

Full Results:

Under-8: Oscar Copeland 16, Arlo Davies 11, Remy Davies 7, Luke Sutherland 6.

Under-16: Mason Martin 15, Shaun Kell 13, Connor Jarrett 8, McKenzie Loombe 6, Will Blackmore 6.

Under-10: Connor Jarrett 16, Zachary Eastwood 15, Frank Spauls 14, Luca El Labany 13, Lola Martin 12, Jamal Musa 11, Austin Brailey 10, Stanley Budds 9, Oscar Copeland 8, Remy Davies 7, Arlo Davies 6.

Under-19: Mason Martin 15, Daniel

Martin 12, Tom Blackmore 9.

Under-13: Shaun Kell 16, Connor Jarrett 15, Will Blackmore 14, Aiesha Musa 13, Jamal Musa 11, Matthew Sidell 11, Amelia Dodson 10, Lola Martin 9, Thalia Silver 8, Alex Osborne 6, Austin Brailey 6.

Senior: Paddy Wenn 16, Mason Martin 14, Ben Loombe 14, Daniel Martin 13, Tom Blackmore 12, Jamie Medler 12, Rory Freeman 9, Katie Adams 7.

Ladies: Aiesha Musa 20, Tabitha Neirop 18, Amelia Dodson 13, ,Thalia Silver 13, Lola Martin 13, Katie Adams 11.

Veterans: Paddy Wenn 16, Dave Martin 12, Rory Freeman 8, Jo Silver 4.

Referees - Gary Colby, Jamie Medler, Shaun Dyball, Harley Hamill

________________________________________________________________

Hawks had an anxious week waiting on availability of riders but in the end theydid put two full teams out for their last away fixture of the season at Kesgrave. The youngsters in-volved will have gained valuable track experience. Mason Martin rode well in the first team match despite a couple of falls whereas Paul Delaiche had a heavy early fall and never really got going after that. Most consistent rider was Daniel Martin.

Kesgrave 104 Hethersett 55. Hethersett scorers: Daniel Martin 17, Mason Martin 12+1, Paul Delaiche 8, Nigel Longlands 7, Rod Burke 4, Harry Dodds 3, Lola Martin 2, Amelia Dodson 2.

Mason was rested to the substitutes’ bench for the youth match but did come in for three rides which he won in style. Kesgrave were too sharp but the young Hawks never gave up and Harry Dodds looked fast. With the exception of Mason the whole team have at least four more years in this league and Norfolk Under-8 Champion Oscar Copeland has eight years to go. Alex Osborne made his team racing debut.

Kesgrave U16 84 Hethersett U16 46. Hethersett scorers: Mason Martin 12, Harry Dodds 10, Luca El Labany 8, Lola Martin 7, Amelia Dodson 3, Alex Osborne 3, Oscar Copeland 3.


The Hardcore Four IN the October edition of Hethersett Herald we featured the work of four elderly artists at Hethersett Hall Care Home. They became known as the Hardcore Four because of their enthusiasm for their new hobby which they took up via zoom lessons during lockdown.

On October 5th, the home held an exhibition of their work. We were there to take some photographs of the work of Terry Cable, Margaret Foulkes, Dulci Alvi and Peter Pilkington.


Have You Missed Out ?

YOU can catch up on previous editions of the Hethersett Herald by going to

www.hethersettherald.weebly.com

and following the links. Hethersett Her-ald is an independent publication for news, views and features about Hethersett and general articles written by residents.

It is currently available only online. If you have news or would like to be featured in Hethersett Herald contact editor Pfeter Steward on

[email protected]

Meet The Artists

Peter Pilkington (above) and Margaret Foulkes (right)


Meet The Artists

Terry Cable and Dulcie Alvi

A harpist entertained at

the open evening



How To Contact The Parish Council THE parish council office in the village hall is currently closed to the public due to the Coronavirus outbreak.

Parish clerk Annette Palmer can be contacted by telephone on 07902 322729 or via email at [email protected].

The council has a website at

www.hethersett-parish-council.norfolkparishes.gov.uk

and also a Facebook page. A full list of councillors appears on the next page in this edition of Hethersett Herald along with contact details.

News From The Parish Council

Meeting Dates Full council meeting dates for the remainder of 2021 are as follows:

November 15th and December 20th. Council meetings begin at 7.30 pm. Planning Committee meetings start at 7 pm on the following dates: November 1st and 15th, December 6th and 20th.

For other committee dates refer to the council’s website which can be accessed at:

https://hethersett-parish-council.norfolkparishes.gov.uk

Committee and full council meetings are open to the public.

Meetings have re-started in Hethersett Village Hall. Planning Committee meetings begin at 7 pm and full council meetings at 7.30 pm.



Above are details of the 14 parish councillors with their contact details.

The following points came up at the October meeting of Hethersett Parish Council:

• Work to improve drainage in South Croft has been completed. Recent heavy rain resulted in no flooding in the area.

• Work to clean up verges in Shop Lane has still to be undertaken.

• The stump of a dead tree in land off Great Melton Close will be left. The tree died after being toppled in high winds. There was hope that it would regenerate but these were dashed when somebody snapped off new green shoots.

• The village has 35 dog bins. It is estimated that one in four homes now own a dog which means that there could be as many as 1000 in Hethersett. There is once again concern at the amount of dog mess on roads in the village, particularly on New Road.


THE parish council has received a complaint about the alleged “misuse” of the village hall car park.

A resident contacted the council to inform them of the car park being used by a learner driver who was not displaying L plates.

“There was a car in the car park, a man with his very young looking son who was clearly being allowed to practice his driving in the car park.”

“When approached the man became angry and got out of the passenger seat, took over the driver’s seat and drove off,” the resident continued.

“I have seen driving schools using the car park in the past. You may wish to add a prohibition notice to your sign as clearly the hall car park should not be used in this way.

“There are implications for the safety of users if it continues. I was concerned for our largely elderly

supporters arriving on foot and by car.”

Members of the parish council discussed the matter at its October meeting but felt that “policing” this matter would prove difficult and parish clerk Annette Palmer sent the following response which met with the approval of the council.

“The Parish Council is responsible for the car park so I will make members aware of the issue. The signage at the entrance of the car park has recently been updated by the Village Hall Management Committee and now reads ‘car park for hirers of the Hall and Grounds’. The main problem for members to consider would be how to police the potential misuse of the car park.”

Hethersett Village Hall Car Park which a resident claims is being misused

Complaint Over Alleged “Misuse”

of Car Park



T HE parish council heard that a village road sign close to the car park on

Great Melton Road has been hit by a vehicle and is currently laying on the ground.

The Great Melton Close sign has been damaged a number of times and needs to be re-sited, a resident told the October meeting of the parish council.

Concern was also expressed about the overgrown state of bushes around the car park.

The resident also asked for a no through road sign to be put in place following an increase in the number of vehicles trying to use the road as a cut through

and finding that it comes to a dead end. Parish clerk Annette Palmer said that Norfolk County Council’s Highways Department would be contacted over the matter.

Concern was also expressed about the stump left after storms brought trees down two years ago.

Dr Anne Edwards stated that the stump would be left in place. It had been hoped that the tree would regenerate but this now looks unlikely to happen.

Reluctance to Take Down Shelter

SOUTH Norfolk Council is reluctant to remove the youth shelter on Admirals Way, members of the parish council heard at their October meet-ing.

Previously councillors had expressed concern at the amount of rubbish and anti-social behaviour around the shelter. The council contacted South Norfolk to ask it to consider taking the shelter down but the district council has expressed itself against taking down a “public amenity.”

The parish council will continue to monitor the situation.


Road Sign Is Hit By A Vehicle



Sarah’s World

A week or two ago someone at work asked me why it seemed like I had lots of time off work at the moment. The reason is simple, because I do!

I tend to take a big chunk of my annual leave at work during the colder months. I LOVE this time of year! Birthdays of most of my loved ones, our wedding anniversary, Halloween, Firework night oh and a certain small celebration that happens around the end of December.

Nights draw in, hot chocolate and the smell of bonfires and fireworks in the air, before you know it there’ll be lights on houses and Christmas Fairs. I don’t think you can beat this time of year.

This month I was asked by Brown Owl (Angela Butcher) at Amelia’s Brownies to fill in for a couple of weeks as a parent helper while they were short of a pair of hands. I jumped at the chance! They are meeting temporarily at the Police Training HQ, or the former Old Hall School grounds as most of us know it, in one of the meeting rooms.

It was really nice to see Amelia on her table of girls, working together to carry out the tasks asked of them. They did lots of different things, from making bug hotels to ball games, to building towers out of cubes of potato and cocktail sticks (don’t ask!)

One thing’s for sure, Brown Owl (and Tawny Owl who was on hand to help with the cleaning afterwards) put a lot of effort into the running of Brownies. It’s not all fun and games - it’s organising the girls, making sure they’re

all happy, organising trips. And that’s without all the Covid cleaning thrown in. They are true unsung heroes, and do an amazing job.

Speaking of volunteers, it warms my heart to work with the volunteers we have at Playgroup currently. Jade, Jenn, Charli, Vince, Jo, Lisa, Holly. Honestly, you all are amazing, and you’re doing such a service to our community.

Playgroup has been described as a lifeline for one lady that came, and that’s proof enough of how much good you are all doing. You are all fantastic, and do a tremendous job, so much so that I don’t know how we managed

My Young Brownie


Sarah’s World

without you before! We now have volunteer badges so that people that are new to the group are able to know who to put questions to, an idea from Holly, one of our volunteers.

Exciting things are to come too. Our Halloween party (photos and write up in next month’s column) and our Christmas party will be here before you know it. I’m thinking we might try and raise money for Children in Need again in November too!.

One thing you may have learned by now if you have read my previous columns, or know me in real life, is that I love a challenge. I’m Vice Chair on the Friends of Woodside Primary School, the group that fundraises at Woodside for the extra bits and bobs to make children’s

time at the school more memorable. I have a slight vested interest, as it’s the school that both of my children attend!

Previously they’ve held discos and fetes, but obviously that has proved difficult – well, pretty impossible really, in the last 18 months.

At the end of the summer term, the Friends held a second hand uniform sale. I was not aware of the sheer amount of uniform the school was sitting on until Mrs Adcock showed us the boxes in the reception.

From that moment I made it my mission to try to make some money out of it, and reclaim some of the space that it’s currently taking up! Part of my plan is to try to put some of the uniform online, I’m thinking

Facebook as a starting point with

Our First Steps Volunteers Badge

Our Hamper


Sarah’s World

photos, and having an extra pick-up point from my house. If you’re interested, prices for logoed uniform starts from £2. I don’t know why you’d pay full price when you could get it pre-loved for a fraction. I’ve only ever bought uniform new if I couldn’t get it second-hand! All money earned goes straight back into the Friends’ coffers, it’s win-win.

And finally, I’ve probably mentioned before, but please do come and see me or my store manager, Keyleigh at Tesco in Hethersett if you need a raffle prize, help with refreshments or something like that for a community event.

We have a budget in place to provide the community with help, but people rarely even ask! All you need to do is drop a letter in explaining what you need and what for, and have a word with Keyleigh or myself. This month we donated a Christmas Hamper as a raffle prize for the quiz and chips event being held to raise funds for the Hethersett Memorial Playing Field Pavilion project,


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Press Cuttings—An Explanation

Readers have commented that they cannot read the cuttings that we feature in our “News From The Media” section.

This is intentional. The aim is just to give an idea of how the local media is featuring some of our Hethersett news.


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News From Hethersett Hall

Stories by Charlotte Govier and Emily Parton

_____________________

Residents’ Art Exhibition

(see also page 38)

Our residents enjoyed an art exhibition showing off the amazing work four of our budding artists have produced over 14 months.

Through interview with Peter Steward writer for the EDP, one resident expressed: “When we started, I felt I couldn’t even hold a paintbrush let alone create a work of art. The standard I have been able to reach in 16 months has really surprised me,” said Peter Pilkington, who is proving there is no age barrier to taking up a new hobby.

The quality of the work speaks for itself and it's astounding to think some of the artists have never done any type of artwork at all!

There was cheese and wine to be enjoyed after the event and Lucinda the harpist playing in the foyer as people arrived.

The support our residents had from not just their relatives but the local community and Friend in Deed was outstanding and was an amazing well-being boost for everyone involved – we’re so proud.

The return of Little Visitors

After such a long time we were so pleased to welcome back little visitors from Friend in Deed on Friday 8th October. The atmosphere in our lounge was wonderful with so many happy faces. Our residents had such a lovely time making new friends and playing games.

We will have a Friend in Deed session each Friday morning at 10:45am, all welcome to join us. To keep everyone safe all visitors must complete a lateral flow test and register online prior to arriving at the home.


News From Hethersett Hall

Pictures of little friends from Friend In Deed at Hethersett Hall

________________________________________________________________

The lovely photographs opposite were taken in Hethersett by Michelle Fisher and posted on the All Things Hethersett Facebook page.

They are reproduced here with Michelle’s permission.


Family Pride For A Hero

_______________________________

Hethersett Herald columnist and Hethersett resident John Head

remembers a much loved brother and his work with Explosive

Ordnance Disposal.

_______________________________

I am immensely proud of my late brother Keith Head—Warrant Officer 681258. He served for 40 years in the RAF, the latter part in

EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal). He was involved in the ‘making safe’ of explosive devices anywhere from Cyprus to the Falklands. He left a wealth of stories concerning his experiences, this one being closer to home and involving the ‘making safe’ of an unexploded bomb from a Dornier DO 17 at Thaxted Essex in August 1990.

* * *

At 1500 hrs on August 26th, 1940, RAF Debden was attacked by a large force of Dorniers supported by Messerschmitt 109s. The first wave released their bombs but at 15.30hrs the second wave at 4,000 feet was split by anti-aircraft fire and fighters.

Two Dorniers were shot down by the Royal

Canadian Air Force one being the lead Dornier which exploded on impact at what was known as Higham’s Farm (now Mallett’s Fruit Farm) near Thaxted Essex. The second Dornier came down at Cole End, Wimbish, also near Thaxted. Not all the bombs on the first Dornier were located and one 50KG SC Bomb laid dormant for 50

years until it was unearthed in 1990.

My brother identified the bomb as not being one produced for use in the Second World War but its red tail-fin marking (it was yellow


in the Second World War) made it one produced for use in the Spanish Civil War.

The difficulty with this bomb was that it was extremely close to electricity pylons. Nevertheless, it was made safe by my brother and his team by the application of salt water. The procedure is outlined in the article from the Stansted Express dated 14

th August

1990.

What was of further interest were the details of the incident that ‘brought down’ the Dornier. For this I am indebted to military historian Julian Evan-Hart who I contacted prior to the death of my brother. The lead Dornier , before being ‘downed’, had been subject to vicious attacks from the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). One such attack was led by Flying Officer E.A. Edwards in Hurricane P3874. Unfortunately return fire from the rear cockpit gunner of the Dornier crippled the Hurricane and it fell away from the action streaming a trail of black smoke. It is not known whether F.O Edwards was killed prior to impact with the ground but he failed to eject from the stricken aircraft.

The crew of the Dornier were

Oberlieutenant Carl-Heinz Heidenreich (killed)

Unteroffizier Johann Panczak (killed)

Feldwebel Wilhelm Hohnstädter (baled out and captured wounded)

Unteroffizier Rudolf Dußmann (baled

out and captured wounded).

Oberlieutenant Heidenreich and Unteroffizier Panczak were buried in Saffron Walden Cemetery where they remain today.

Following the bomb being made safe,

Julian Evan- Hart was accompanied to the scene by my brother who presented him with a trepanner cutting from the bomb’s casing.

The EOD team comprised of: Ft Sgt Keith Head, Sgt Kelly Thorpe, Cpl Steve Bryne, Cpl Al Riley, SAC Sean Lampett, SAC Dave Fry and SAC Andy Smith ,

From eye-witness accounts Mr Evan-Hart was able to reconstruct the incident in art form.

Remembering all those who regularly risk their lives making safe explosive devices.



My Photographic Diary by John Head

Hethersett resident and friend of Hethersett Herald, John Head, is a keen photographer who regularly posts his excellent photographs on

Facebook. Here we feature a selection of John’s photographs taken during his wanderings in and around Hethersett. You will also find other photos

taken by John dotted throughout this edition of Hethersett Herald.





Lewis Buckingham is currently taking a short break. His regular column on Hethersett history will be back in next month’s

Hethersett Herald.


From The Archives with Gary Wyatt

IN 1935 the hot topic in Hethersett was whether to have street lighting or not.. According to the local newspaper there was a long and lively debate at the parish council meeting.

The cutting pictured opposite reads as follows:

“There was a long and lively debate at a meeting of Hethersett Parish Council on Thursday, when Mr Charles Garner introduced the question of street lighting for the village. Mr W. H. Woods occupied the chair and only one member was absent.

Mr Garner recalled that at the last meeting of the Council reference had been made to the street lighting in Hingham and it was thought at that meeting that Hingham had a much greater population than Hethersett. He had been in communication with a friend of his at Hingham and had been able to correct this impression. The population of Hingham seventy years ago was 1605 and that of Hethersett 1169. Today Hingham had 1313 people and Hethersett 1240. Therefore Hingham had only 73 more head of population than Hethersett had today. The speaker went on to give details of the cost of the system in Hingham, stating that the cost of the actual lamps and of placing them in position would be £15 10s each (£15.50). The payment, however, being spread over a period of ten years was not as terrible as it might look, but of course 26 lamps (the number which they had in Hingham) came to a decent sum. Recommending that Hethersett should consider some such scheme Mr Garner said there were socials and concerts and church meetings and he found out that there were quite a lot of people walking about in the dark.


Mr J. C. Johnson, supporting, said Hethersett did not require quite so many lamps as Hingham; they were required only just in the dangerous places, and he was thinking especially of the old people.”

There was more debate before the council decided to adjourn a decision indefinitely. Mr Johnson became chairman of the council and was involved with numerous local groups but sadly died at the very early age of 47.

Hethersett and Little Melton Band 1913

Left and right—Whitegates pictured in the 1930s


Coronation Day Fancy Dress 1953 outside the Village Hall which is now the village’s Social Club.

Another photograph of Whitegates. This one is much more modern than those on the previous page.

Whitegates is now the county headquarters of Norfolk Library Service.


John’s Dublin Diary

I was reminded recently of the time I spent in Dublin researching the rise of Irish Independence between the years 1916-1923.

It is easy with a 'hindsight bias' to predict the outcome after the event had occurred. With the Easter Rising (24th-29th April 1916). It is appreciated that, at the time, Britain could not afford another front to be opened up in Ireland or Germany taking control of the Irish ports with the Somme offensive only a few weeks away.

The leaders of the Easter Rising, however, were mainly scholars, devoted to Irish culture and the retention of it. They were not trained in fighting. Their execution saw the loss of irreplaceable talent, not only to Ireland but to the world. They raised an army of a mere 1,500 which did not have the support of the Irish people. That all changed after they were executed. My visit to Kilmainham

Gaol was a very moving experience.

The following day was spent at Glasnevin Cemetery (a day is not

_______________________________________________________________

Herald columnist and Hethersett resident John Head has been a long term researcher into the history of Ireland. During a visit to Dublin John kept a diary of various visits he and his wife Ros made as he tells us in the first

part of a two-part series.

________________________________________________________________



enough). Glasnevin Cemetery was opened in 1832 and covers 124 acres and is non-denominational. It contains the graves of over 1.5 million (including the great and the good). 800,000 have been buried in unmarked graves due to the death toll from the great famine of the 1840s and, later, the cholera epidemic. Prior to the opening, Irish Catholics had no cemeteries to bury their own. The repressive Penal Laws placed restrictions on Catholic Services. Daniel O’Connell, champion of Catholic Rights. pushed for a new burial ground where both Irish Catholics and Protestants could give their dead dignified burials

The cemetery contains a very informative museum, historic memorials and leads to the National Botanic Gardens.

Michael Collins Eamon de Valera and Arthur Griffith

In December 1921, Michael Collins and Arthur Griffith were sent by Eamon de Valera to sign a peace treaty with David Lloyd George at Westminster which they could do as they had plenipotentiary status. The ‘Anglo Irish Treaty’ still contained the oath of allegiance to the Crown. Collins, upon signing, knew he had signed his ‘death warrant’ but he saw it as” freedom to achieve freedom” and the allegiance to the Crown would disappear as time progressed. The treaty split the

Republican Movement into the pro treaty and the anti- treaty lobbyists. The pro treaty won the vote and brothers in arms became enemies and formed into the pro treaty Free State Army led by Michael Collins and the anti-treaty IRA lead by Liam Lynch. It was Green v Green. This very sad period in Irish History even remained off the Irish Schools



History curriculum until the mid-1960s. De Valera had little to do with the fighting.

Collins was assassinated in 1922 – it remains a mystery even today why he didn’t make more of an attempt to defend himself.

Years on when de Valera came to power he issued a very prophetic statement

“It is my considered opinion that, in the fullness of time, history will record the greatness of Michael Collins and it will be recorded at my expense.”

The floral tributes on the graves vindicate his statement.



We Are On Facebook Hethersett Herald is on Facebook. You can follow us at

https://www.facebook.com/Hethersett-Herald-196216690775010/

Please share details of the Herald so we can increase our readership.

The December edition of Hethersett Herald will be online at the end of November.

News, features and photographs should be with the editor by November 15th at the latest.

We are happy to consider items for publication either on Hethersett or written by Hethersett residents on other subjects and they can

be sent to

[email protected]

As usual we will be looking to publish the January 2022 edition before Christmas in order to cover the festivities in the village.

Join The Email Group We currently use Social Media to inform residents when a new edition of Hethersett Herald is published.

We also post copies of new editions, along with an archive of editions from the past six years, on the website www.hethersettherald.weebly.com.

If you would like to be alerted via e-mail of the publication of a new edition please send an e-mail requesting this service to the editor—[email protected].

We will then draw up a group for circulation. Your e-mail address will not be disclosed to any third parties and will be used exclusively for notification of new publications.


Below are the contact details for people you may want to get in touch with on village matters:

Member of Parliament

Our MP is Richard Bacon who can be contacted through the following:

Email - [email protected].

Address: Grasmere, Denmark Street, Diss, Norfolk, IP22 4LE.

Telephone: 01379 642097

Web site: www.richardbacon.org.uk

Facebook - Bacon4SouthNorfolk

Twitter - @Bacon4SNorfolk

Norfolk County Council

Our Norfolk County Council representative is David Bills who can be contacted on 01603 813041.

South Norfolk Council

Our South Norfolk Council representatives are Adrian Dearnley, Phil Hardy and David Bills. David can be contacted on 01603 813041 or at [email protected], Phil on 07985 695668 or at [email protected] and Adrian on 07957139880.or at [email protected].

Hethersett Parish Council

Clerk to the council Annette Palmer can be contacted on 01603 810915. Parish council chairman Adrienne Quinlan can be contacted on 01603 814379.

The Parish Council usually meets on the third Monday of each month at the Vil-lage Hall. The planning committee meets on the first and third Monday (depending on planning applications).

Agendas of meetings are displayed on village noticeboards at Churchfields, Hethersett Library, Hethersett Post Office, the Memorial Playing Field, and Heth-ersett Village Hall. Copies of minutes are held at the library or are available from the clerk. The parish council office is currently closed but will eventually be open in the Back Room at the Village Hall (upstairs) on Monday and Thursday morn-ings between 10 am and 12 noon.

Email: [email protected]

Website – hethersettpc.info

Council/Government Contact Numbers


www.hethersettherald.weebly.co



Where To Eat In Hethersett

Janey’s Village Café -

32A Mill Road. Telephone 01603 811234. e-mail - [email protected]. Janey’s is open from 9 am Wednesdays to Sundays inclusive.

Hethersett Queen’s Head -

12 Norwich Road. Telephone 01603 810226.

Food served Monday to Thursday 11.45 am to 2 pm (lunch) and 6-8.30 pm (evening meal). Friday and Saturday 11.45 am to 2.15 pm and 5.30 to 9.30 pm. Sunday carvery sittings at midday and 2 pm. Evening meals 5 to 8.30 pm.

Park Farm Hotel

On the B1172 at Hethersett. NR9 3DL. Telephone 01603 810264. e-mail [email protected].

Park Farm is a luxury country hotel with spa and fitness facilities and a number of places to eat throughout the day. For more information visit their website at https://www.parkfarm-hotel.co.uk.

Café Kin

Rowan House, Queen’s Road, Hethersett.

Café Kin is part of the Rowan House Health and Well Being complex on Queen’s Road. Food and coffee served during certain days. From July 26th opening hours will be Wednesday to Friday 8 am to 2 pm, Saturday 9 am to 1.30 pm. The café will be closed Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. It will also be closed between August 30th and September 4th for staff holidays.

Hethersett King’s Head

Norwich Road. The venue has re-opened with food served every day including Sunday lunch.

* * *

You will also find a variety of eating outlets close to the Thickthorn Services area off the B1172. These are technically in Hethersett, although they are two miles form the village centre. Outlets include Burger King, Subway and McDonalds and there is also a petrol station and Travelodge.


Where Are The Best Deals? WITH petrol once again in relatively plentiful supply, we return this month to comparing prices.

Prices have sky rocketed this month and are now approaching £1.50 a litre. Our aim is to compare garages within easy driving distances of Hethersett to let you know where the best value is.

It’s annoying as always to have to report that the two garages at Wymondham (Waitrose and Abbeygate) and Thickthorn Services continue to be considerably more expensive than some of the other garages.

Each month we will be using the eight garages listed below to show how prices have increased or decreased over the past month. The best value petrol and diesel is highlighted in red.

There may be even better value if you go slightly further afield and please note that these prices were checked towards the end of the month but may have changed further before publication.

Once again our advice if you want the best deals is shop around and avoid paying inflated petrol and diesel prices. You could save yourself hundreds of pounds over a year and that’s a lot of additional motoring mileage. The change figure shows how prices have risen since our last survey in August.

Herald Petrol Watch

Unleaded Diesel Change Change

Asda Hall Road, Norwich 140.7 142.7 +9p +9p

Tesco Express, Earlham Road, Norwich 143.9 145.9 +10p +10p

Sainsbury’s Queen’s Road Norwich 139.9 140.9 +8p +8p

Tesco Harford Bridges, Norwich 140.9 141.9 +7p +7p

Sainsbury’s Longwater, Norwich 138.9 142.9 +7p +10p

Abbeygate Wymondham 147.9 151.9 +7p +10p

Waitrose Wymondham 147.9 151.9 +8p +10p

Thickthorn Services, Hethersett 149.9 153.9 +8p +10p


Groups and Societies


WE are looking to improve and expand our groups and societies section. If you would like your organisation to be featured in Hethersett Herald please contact the editor via e-mail at [email protected].

Reports of events and meetings can also be sent to the above email address.

The deadline for copy is the 15th of each month. Hethersett Herald is published on or around the first day of each month via the web site


Announcement of publication is also made on social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and Next Door. You can also be notified via e-mail.

If you enjoy reading Hethersett Herald please pass details on.


Dementia Support Group Has Re-Started HETHERSETT Dementia Support Group has re-started after its enforced COVID break.

The group meets twice monthly, The first Tuesday is an informal meeting for coffee and chat and the third Tuesday is more structured with talks, presentations, games and film shows.

“Anyone is welcome to join us and not just those living with dementia. We welcome people who are lonely or who just want to chat over a cup of coffee. Everyone is welcome,” said group chairman David Bills. If you would like more information about the group please contact David Bills on 01603 813041.

November meetings of the group will take place on the 2nd and 16th.

At the meeting on the third Tuesday of October members enjoyed a morning of tables games that included a Beetle Drive and UNO card games.


Cringleford and Hethersett Flower Club. (NAFAS affiliated)

By Jenny Walpole

Our programme of events resumed at the end of September.

We look forward to welcoming our previous members and lots of new faces too!

If you love flowers, this may be the club for you! Our friendly club generally meets on the fourth Monday of the month at Hethersett Village Hall, Back Lane, Hethersett at 7.30 pm.

After a demonstration by a qualified floral demonstrator, you will have the chance to win one of the arrangements via a raffle.

Refreshments are available afterwards. Other events and workshops are included in our programme.

For further details please ring Chairman Lynn Rawlings on 01603 457888

Monday 22nd November—(ticketed event). At our Open Meeting this year we welcome national demonstrator John Chennell.. Tickets are on sale now



St Remigius Baby and Toddler Group

St Remigius Baby and Toddler Group has re-started after its en-forced COVID break. The group meets on the first Tuesday of the month , The November meeting will therefore be on 2nd November at 10 am onwards in St Remigius Church. We look forward to wel-coming parents, grandparents and carers with their babies and tod-dlers. As well as plenty for the children to do there will also be a “cuppa” and refreshments.

HETHERSETT and DISTRICT HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY

Report by Leslie Dale

Meetings re-started after the COVID break on October 20th with a talk in the Methodist Church Hall by Robin McDonald on the famous Dutch Tulip show gardens known as Keukenhoef.

We followed Robin‘s tour around orchid greenhouses in the Gothenburg Botanic Garden and then at the Keukenhof Garden in Holland. During her photographic presentation, we saw many varieties of dendrobium, cymbidium and phalaenopsis orchids.

At Keukenhof the “block” planting of tulips of one colour was very evident, this in part driven by the mutual intolerance of other species of bulbs to tulips and vice-versa. Keukenhof is clearly a very large and colourful garden with half a dozen greenhouses or exhibition halls to explore, plus a traditional windmill with vistas out over the surrounding tulip fields.

Sadly, as in the fens of England, west of King’s Lynn, the tulip flowers are promptly beheaded so as to promote bulb growth and propagation. Clearly timing of one’s visit to Keukenhof is essential, bearing in mind the early spring time’s climatic conditions, to get the best out of the colourfulness of the tulips.

The Society is now able to purchase seeds at a discounted price from “King’s Seeds” of Kelvedon. Call Pauline on 01603-811967. The Society meets on the third Wednesday of each month except December, which is on the second Wednesday, at 7.30pm in the Methodist Church Hall, Great Melton Road, Hethersett. All are very welcome - occasional visitors are charged £2 and refreshments are included.

Our next meetings are on Wednesday, 17th November, when Anne Edwards will be “Up the Garden Path” and on Wednesday, 15th December, when Ted Hallett will talk about a Garden in Surrey, in his earlier days, before we enjoy some Christmas Festivities.



Hethersett Social Club Opening Hours

THE latest list of opening hours for Hethersett Social Club are as follows:

Monday—Closed

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday—7-11 pm

Friday—5-11.30 pm

Saturday—3 pm until midnight

Sunday midday to 6 pm.

The venue has returned to bar service and the wearing of face masks is optional

Change In Library Opening Hours

Hethersett Library has returned to its pre-Covid staffed hours.

Open Library is still unavailable but the current hours are as follows.


The following are just some of the regular events taking place in Hethersett. If you have an event you would like to see featured in Hethersett Herald, please send details including its date, time and venue to the following email address: [email protected]

Hethersett Croquet Club meets on the Memorial Playing Field from 2.30 pm on Wednesday and Saturdays during the summer.

Hethersett Methodist Church Art and Craft Group meets in the Methodist Church Hall from 10 am on Wednesdays. Further details available from Tina Greenhalgh on 01603 810364.

Hethersett Methodist Church new offers Wednesday morning coffee from 10 am.

First Steps pre-school Group meets in Hethersett Village Hall. See poster on page 71 for full details.

Hethersett Dementia Support Group’s monthly café takes place in Hethersett Methodist Church Hall from 10 am until midday every third Tuesday. There is also a social morning meeting on the first Tuesday of each month from 10 until 11.30 am.

Hethersett Short Mat Bowls Club plays two sessions each week in Hethersett Village Hall. The first is on Tuesday afternoons from 2.15 pm for a 2.30 pm start and the second is on Friday evenings at 7.15 pm for a 7.30 pm start.

Hethersett Memorial Playing Field Bowls Club meets on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 2 pm.

__________________________________________________________

Hethersett Herald What’s On

ST Remigius Church has changed the time of its morning Sunday service.

Services will now start at 11 am rather than the previous time of 10.30 am.

This year’s Remembrance Service will take place on Sunday, November 14th.


NOVEMBER

Tuesday 2nd—Hethersett Dementia Support Group coffee and chat. Hethersett Methodist Church Hall 10 to 11.30 am.

Tuesday 2nd—St Remigius Baby and Toddler Group. St Remigius Church, 10 am.

Sunday 7th– Hethersett Village Screen film. Hethersett Village Hall 3 pm.

Sunday 14th—Remembrance Sunday Service, St Remigius Church 11 am.

Monday 15th– Hethersett Parish Council meeting. Hethersett Village Hall, 7.30 pm.

Tuesday 16th—Hethersett Dementia Support Group monthly meeting. Heth-ersett Methodist Church Hall, 10 am to midday.

Wednesday 17th– Hethersett Horticultural Society. Dr Anne Edwards talk “Up The Garden Path.” 7.30 pm Hethersett Methodist Church Hall.

________________________________________________________________

Hethersett Herald What’s On

Red sky in the morning.

Photograph by John Head.


Hethersett Herald HETHERSETT Herald is published electronically towards the end

of each month via the Hethersett Village web site at


Hethersett Herald is a non profit making and independent

publication providing news, views and information about

Hethersett. It has no affiliation to any specific group, organisation

or political party. Views expressed in Hethersett Herald are those

of individual authors and not necessarily the views of the

volunteers or the editor.

Information, reports and photographs are always welcome. These

can be e-mailed to [email protected]. Everyone who

works or contributes to Hethersett Herald does so on a voluntary

and unpaid basis. We are happy to hear from anyone who would

like to help us increase and improve our coverage of village life.

Herald Team

Editor - Peter Steward—[email protected]

Associate Editors - Roger Morgan and Hannah Baldry.

Regular Columnists - Sarah Lawrence and John Head.

Proof Editor - Gary Wyatt.

Thank you to everyone that has contributed to this edition of Hethersett

Herald. If you have enjoyed reading this e-magazine please pass on

details to friends and relatives so that we can increase our readership.

To contact us e-mail [email protected].

Documents

Go Ahead Given For More Housing